An Interesting Seventh Year
by sudoku.addict
Summary: A fluffy LilyJames story. Follows the whole shehateshimhe'smadlyinlovewithher format. Review please!
1. Chapter 1

I never thought I'd be writing a Lily/James story, but here it is...this does provide an entertaining distraction while I'm procrastinating on my other stories.

Okay so I have a feeling the plot's going to be extremely formulaic. Sue me.

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Chapter 1

"Have a good term, darling!" Mrs. Evans yelled to the diminishing back of her 17 year-old daughter. The red-headed girl turned back around at the sound of her mother's voice and flashed a brilliant smile, waving happily.

Lily turned again to face the scarlet Hogwarts Express, steam billowing busily about her. She grinned into the warm moisture, breathing in the scent of a train platform filled with activity. All around her there were families saying goodbye, some laughing, some crying, but all filled with anticipation at the thought of another term at Howarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Hitching up her trunk and puffing slightly, Lily stepped onto the train and navigated her way through the crowded corridor, greeting friends as she met them. Every year since she began she magical education, she had always sat with her two best friends, but this year was going to be different. She had been named Head Girl of Hogwarts during the summer. The mere thought made her shiver with excitement. The honor of being appointed Head Girl did not come as a shock to Lily. She was, after all, the best in her year, but still she squealed happily when she opened the letter. Petunia, of course, only sniffed disapprovingly, turning up her nose at the lovely tawny owl that had bore the news. The thought of her sister's hostility deflated Lily's happiness somewhat, but a pair of smiling faces poking out of a train compartment suddenly lifted her spirits considerably.

"Lily! Over here! Congratulations again on Head Girl, you really deserve it."

"Thanks, Emma. Hi you two, how's your summer been?"

"Nothing extremely exciting, this year should be something though, eh?" said Katie, grinning at her friend.

"Yeah, should be," Lily laughed, "But look, you guys, I've got to go meet the Head Boy and talk with the Prefects. I don't know if I'll be able to slip out for the rest of the trip, you know," she shifted awkwardly, "Patrolling and all that."

"Sure sure, Lil, you go run the school," Emma nodded at her, "Any idea who the Head Boy is?"

"No clue, maybe Prewett Dilliard from Ravenclaw. He's always been very good at everything. As long as it's not - "

"Morning girls!"

Lily's eyes shot heavenward and she spun around, donning her iciest stare, "Potter."

James Potter, Quidditch star, egomaniac, and generally the dishiest boy in school, had just popped his head into their compartment. "Well, Evans, I assume you got the Headgirlship. Congratulations."

"Yes, thank you Potter. Now if you'll excuse me, I must go about my duties." She proceeded to brush coldly past him, but he stuck his arm out to block her exit.

"Now Evans, that's not very courteous of you, is it? Didn't even ask me how my summer was?" He grinned cheekily at her. "No matter, I'll make up for your rudeness: 'You're looking lovely today, Evans. How was your summer?' Now isn't that much more civil?"

Lily fumed inwardly. How dare he strut in here and say things like that? It was too bad he was so good at everything, otherwise he'd be nothing and probably infinitely more humble. Lily snorted, "Look Potter, you're going to have to leave our compartment, I'm afraid we haven't got room for your head in here." And with that, she spun around sharply and stalked past him. James winced inwardly and shot a faux-pained look at the two remaining girls. He took a deep breath and hurried after Lily.

"Evans! Hey, wait up!"

Lily, who was already half way down the corridor, stopped suddenly and yelled, "Potter! Please stop following me around! I don't have time to jest with you today, I'm on my way to meet the Head Boy and I'm already late. Good day."

She proceeded to continue on her way when James suddenly popped in front of her and forced her to stop lest she run into him.

"You don't have to do that, Evans. You've already met him."

Lily cocked an eyebrow at him, "Oh?"

The corner of James' mouth curled up, "Shall we go meet the Prefects?"

Lily clapped her hand to her mouth in horror, "You! Y- You're Head Boy!"

James spread his arms wide, "The one and only!"

"Oh god, oh no...oh my god, my nightmares have come true," Lily groaned.

"Oh yes," James grabbed her elbow and steered her toward the front of the train, "Come on, Evans, we wouldn't want to be late for our first responsibility, would we?"

All of a sudden, Lily wished she hadn't been appointed Head Girl. This meant spending an entire year in close proximity with the one boy she couldn't stand. Lily cringed with each additional thought. The Head Girl and Boy had special dormitories, they would be planning events together, they would patrol together, assist the Headmaster and professors together... The coming academic year now looked extremely bleak. How would she be able to survive it? She could barely stand staying in the same room as James Potter. Lily frowned deeper as they approached the Prefects compartment. If he wasn't showing off with a silly Snitch, he was womanizing some helpless girl blinded by his good looks. She shuddered, the rumors she'd heard about him...although they were only rumors, still they must've had some basis in the truth.

"Here we are!" His voice jerked her thoughts back to reality. Lily shook her head slightly to clear her thoughts. She was being silly; this wasn't so bad, she'd just have to be professional and never let their conversations stray from the task at hand. Their first meeting with the Prefects, for example.

Lily shook her hair back and breathed deeply, "Okay, let's go."

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"And so, let's not keep our stomachs rumbling! Dig in, dig in!"

The Great Hall filled with laughter at the Headmaster's words as everyone gratefully sank their teeth into the delicious food that appeared on the plates. Everywhere students were catching up with friends and meeting new ones. Lily looked over at the first years; she had already been up to the Fat Lady and given her a password that she hoped would be easy to remember. She didn't want to make their first term too difficult.

"So Lily, how's the prospect of working with Egomaniac Potter this year?" her friend Katie leaned over and asked.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Oh god, shoot me now. I'm sure if Dumbledore spent some extra time with the boy, he'd reconsider his choice."

Everyone at the table laughed.

"Oh come on, Lil," Emma nudged her, "At least he's pleasant to look at."

"Very pleasant," another girl chimed, giggling.

Lily sighed, exasperated, "Honestly! Is that all anyone sees in him? Looks? Don't judge a book by its cover, I always say. And this book, might I add, is the most abominable form of literary trash." Her friends laughed appreciatively and shook their heads, and the rest of the meal was spent in good humor.

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Lily yawned and waved goodnight to her friends, making her way sleepily to the Heads Dormitory. She wanted nothing more than to plop down on a comfortable bed and drift off to sleep. She stopped before the statue of Gorbick the Good and gave the appropriate password. Stony-faced Gorbick shifted aside obligingly and Lily stepped inside. Thoughts of sleep temporarily set aside, Lily's eyes widened at the elegance of the common room. It was slightly smaller than the Gryffindor one and also much cozier. A crackling fire danced in the fireplace in front of which two squashy armchairs sat. Beautiful paintings hung on the high walls; there was scarcely a square foot of wall not covered with some masterpiece. Two sweeping staircases wound upwards on opposite ends of the common room.

Smiling contently, Lily trudged towards the left staircase, unpinning her hair as she went. Then, the shifting of marble against stone made her turn around to see the last person she wanted to see. Oh right, she thought, I have to share a dormitory with him. She paused, half wanting to throw out some disparaging remark but too tired to do so.

James Potter stopped and stared at her, then stretched luxuriously and yawned, "Hello Evans. Excellent dinner don't you think? I'm stuffed and much too tired to be on guard around you, so whatever fighting we do shall have to wait till morning." He yawned again and, titling his head slightly, gave her a quizzical look, "Why don't you leave your hair down like that all the time, Evans? It suits you. You look really nice." He blinked, bleary-eyed and disappeared up his staircase without another word.

Lily, against her will, blushed a deep pink, only too thankful that he wasn't around to witness it. She stood there, blinking in surprise. That was uncharacteristic of him, she thought. Normally he'd make some stupid comment about her hair looking like a dead kneazle when it was down. Lily was quite taken aback by his sudden civil remark. Shaking her head, she made her way up to her room, thinking that this would definitely be an interesting seventh year.

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Nothing really exciting this chapter...but oh the possibilities are endless. Reviews would be gladly welcomed!


	2. Chapter 2

Okay, let's actually try to think of a plot for this one...

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Chapter 2

Lily had barely noticed it; two months had already passed. Her last year at Hogwarts wasn't turning out to be as bad as she had imagined. The Heads had not been given any large events to plan yet. She and James, though they saw each other far more than Lily liked, were both so busy with duties and their studies that they barely had time to throw nasty remarks at each other. And, despite having to share a dormitory with him, Lily could honestly say that James Potter wasn't the most difficult person to live with.

"Morning, Evans." The two were each just coming down their respective staircases.

"Hello, Potter. Did you get the owl? McGonnagal wants us after lunch today."

"Right. D'you know what it's about?"

"No idea. We'll find out, though." Lily made her way to the doorway, but James got there first.

"After you, Sunshine," he said brightly, pushing the statue open for her.

Lily smiled sarcastically and gave him a look with narrowed eyes, "I suppose there's a mad axeman waiting for the first person who comes out; otherwise you wouldn't be so gleeful. After all, it's highly unlikely that you'd ever do anything so gentlemanly-like."

Lily stalked past him, wearing a superior and regal look. James winced; she always had a way of having the last laugh. Shaking his head, he disappeared through the doorway after her.

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Professor McGonnagal looked over the rim of her eyeglasses and surveyed the approaching Heads.

"Afternoon, you two. Please sit down, there's something I would like to discuss with you."

Lily and James glanced apprehensively at each other and took their seats in the straight-backed wooden chairs in front of the professor's desk. A bright midday sun streamed through the windows behind her desk, lighting up specks of dust floating in the air.

Professor McGonnagal leaned forward, "Now, this year Hogwarts shall be putting on a dance in the Winter. Creatively, it is be named the Winter Ball and will be opened to fourth years and above. As you no doubt know, the organizing of a...ahem...social event of such magnitude will require much planning and deliberation." Professor McGonnagal looked as though so much energy put into a merely 'social' event was energy well wasted. She cleared her throat, "This task I shall leave to you two; I have no doubt in your abilities, especially in Mr. Potter's in thinking of creative themes and activities. Starting from now, you have approximately two and a half months, which should be amply time. I would suggest," and here she put on her steeliest stare, "that you two put any...personal differences of opinion behind you since you will be working so closely together. That is part of the reason the Heads share a common dormitory, so that they will not be disturbed in these planning sessions. Are there any questions?"

Her eyes flickered between Lily and James' faces. Lily wore a look of deep horror, and was staring blankly back at her. James, on the other hand, had a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, his eyes twinkling mischievously.

"No questions? Alright then, that is all. You are dismissed."

Lily nodded blankly and rose to leave, mumbling a vague "Thank you, Professor" as she went.

Once out in the corridor, James turned to her and said, "Well, isn't that something? Hogwarts doesn't put on a winter social very often, I mean it's not like there's much of an occasion. Quite lucky we are to be here in such a rare time." He leaned forward and smiled, "So, Evans, when shall we meet up to discuss this thing? Tonight alright with you? 9 o'clock in the common room then? I'll be waiting," he added in a lower voice, and swept past her, walking away with a slight bounce in his step.

Lily glowered at his retreating back, she knew the year was passing far too smoothly to be true.

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James was in a surprising good mood at lunch.

Sirius leaned over, "So Prongs, tell us, how are things going within the bureaucracy?"

James grinned wryly, "Very well, actually. And, although no definite progress has been made presently, I do have a meeting with a very distinguished chief officer tonight in our common room." He winked, hardly able to suppress his glee, "There's to be a Winter Ball this year, you see, and McGonnagal's delegated the planning to us. I just fear I won't be able to concentrate properly on the planning for the, erm, other distractions around the place."

He and Sirius burst out in the peals of laughter while Remus Lupin looked on disapprovingly, "Really James, you are Head Boy. Do try to act it."

"Oh come on Moony! Don't be so proper, what's the harm in a little fun? Besides, it's not like I'm really going to try anything stupid."

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Evening came much too quickly for Lily's liking. Before she knew it, she was trundling tiredly back up to the common room, intent on a nice long bath before falling quickly asleep. She had almost forgotten all about her meeting with James that night.

She reached the statue entrance and mumbled the password, entered and was promptly startled out of her tired stupor by an enthusiastic, "Evans! I thought you'd never come."

Lily jumped, clutching her chest, "What! Oh Potter, don't do that! You scared the shit out of me! Don't pop out like that alright?"

James shrugged, "Fair enough. Now let's get cracking, we've got some major planning to do."

"Planning? Oh right, the ball," Lily sighed, clearly not wanting to do any sort of planning whatsoever. "Alright, let's get this over with. Shall we draw up a calendar of what needs to happen when?"

"I've got it all set out: parchment, quills, ink. I saved you a spot here next to me," he patted the carpeted floor next to him, "Come on."

Too tired to think of a remark to throw back at him, Lily sighed resignedly and walked over to him in front of the fire, "Good, let's start."

She plopped down on a cushion next to him and began discussing all of what they needed to do. Before either of them realized, several hours had passed and it was well into the morning before Lily glanced at her watch.

"Oh James! It's two in the morning! I think we should call it a night."

James stared at her strangely, "What did you say?"

Lily looked at him exasperatedly. Really this was no time to jest. "I said, that it's two in the bloody morning and we should get to bed."

"No no, I heard that part. It's just...well, you called me 'James'. You only ever call me 'Potter'."

Lily blinked, taken aback. "What? Oh. Do I really?"

"Yes, and I only call you 'Evans'. I don't really know why we only address each other by our surnames. It's quite weird." He looked at her intensely, "I think I prefer you calling me 'James' though. I like it much better," he paused, "Lily."

Suddenly, the atmosphere between them had changed drastically. The firelight danced in Lily's eyes as she lifted her eyes up to meet James'.

"Wha - ," Lily started to say, but she was silenced when James quickly put up a finger to her lips.

"Shh. Don't say anything. Don't move. The light is perfect. You look beautiful."

Her breath quickening, Lily didn't know what to do. They were not three inches apart. James decided to act on an impulsive decision, and leaned forward slightly. Their lips made contact. Relaxing, Lily sighed silently into his lips, leaning into him more as she deepened the kiss. James, wrapping his arms around her, gently pushed her backward onto the thick rug. Lily's fingers found their way into James' tousled hair and made it even messier. After what seemed an eternity, they broke apart.

Lily opened her eyes, "James. James Potter."

"Just 'James'. Nix the 'Potter', I don't like it." He leaned in again, but Lily quickly sat up and evaded him.

"Wait a minute. What exactly just happened there?"

James looked up at her, propped up on one elbow, "Well, I think, I could be wrong, but I think we just kissed. And I also think, and I'm probably right about this one, we both enjoyed it immensely."

"Well yes, physically that's certainly what happened, but, what _really_ happened? Because, in case I've been living somewhere else all these years, we sort of, well, hate each other. Don't we?"

James chuckled, "Lily, I don't hate you. In fact I can't remember a time when I haven't been in love with you."

Lily snorted, "What? You? James Potter, Hogwarts' Resident Womanizer and Egomaniac? I don't think you could honestly say you've ever really been in love. Girls are just objects of desire for you. Each girl you win is simply another added to your ever-growing trophy collection. Am I right?"

James frowned. "No, you're not. Look Lily, it may not have been blatantly evident, but ask around, it's always been you for me. Always. The other girls are simply what you described, objects of lust...nothing more."

Lily suddenly stood up and looked disgusted, "There you see? You do treat girls as trophies!" She gave a small laugh and paced around, "I don't believe you. Why can't you respect people enough to treat them correctly? Why must you always prance around and show off?" She shook her head, "This is why I hate you."

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